Something stabbed me below my ribs, but I didn’t dare look down to show how hard her words had hit me.
Didn’t he make a joke out of you once?
I huffed, rolling my eyes as Lauren retreated, walking as if she were stepping on clouds. “You make a joke out of women supporting women!”
Lauren didn’t turn back. Of course she hadn’t. She was making it really hard for me to be supportive of other women right now. I’d thought all the cliché mean girls had been left in high school. There was always one that stuck around, it seemed, and it turned out, she was on the student council.
Ryan’s eyes narrowed,but he looked oddly amused by the time I stomped back into view of our table. “What was that all about?”
“Oh, y’know, just scaring the student population.”
He nodded thoughtfully, as if this were an everyday occurrence.
“How are you doing?” Ryan tried again.
I let my teeth drag over my bottom lip. “Good. Really good actually.”
“You look good.”
I nudged him. “Dork.”
“I’ll take it.” He laughed. “The guys from the team bought, like, five things of tea.”
“You’re kidding.”
“I doubt they’ll ever drink it, but no one can say I’m not a salesman.”
You’re amazing, I wanted to say.
But Lauren’s words came back to mind again.
I might be just a passing fancy to him. He’d get over me and miss what he left behind.
Then I’d be left behind.
I shook my head, shaking off all the nasty words with it. Since when did I ever listen to anyone, including the likes of Lauren?
“Thank you. I guess that means you are also going to help me get silly supplies with all our earnings? There’s going to be plenty of fairy lights to untangle.” I batted my eyelashes.
And streamers and lanterns to set candles firmly inside of. And marshmallows to stack in piles out of the sun and out of sight, so Ana wouldn’t find them and they wouldn’t melt or be eaten if I kept them at Gertie’s house.
“A new challenge with you? Always,” he said, seeming even more excited before he tilted his head down. All merriment disappeared. “But I do have a really serious question for you.”
My smile dipped down with dread, all the way to my stomach. A question …
Have you realized I actually think this entire thing is a joke?
I don’t actually like you.
I don’t want to kiss you anymore.
Okay, those final two weren’t questions, but they ran through my mind all the same.
“Yes?” I finally prompted, swallowing.
“Will you go to homecoming with me next weekend?”
I whacked my hand across his chest as I looked him in the eye. What a ridiculous boy I’d gotten caught up with. “Absolutely not.”
